Lat night I was preparing for an assignment on John 4: 1-26. Going through this passage of scripture really opened my eyes.

Numerous times the women at the well tried to put up barriers between herself and the truth (Christ). First she used cultural differences not to speak to Christ, then she put physical problems in place saying silly things like the well is too deep and Jesus had no vessel to draw the water out. He couldnt use hers because the Samaritans where 'unclean'.
Then she used religious differences, falling back on her old faith in Jacob instead of Christ. Then she used the place where they worship as a barrier (sound familiar?).

Jesus did not argue with her, but every time He brought her back to who He was and what He could do for her. He convicted her of sin and she was saved, but not only her but many others in her village.

There is much more to this passage of scripture as the depth of it is incredible. I have only pointed out the issues which jumped out at me while studying it.

How many of us also put up barriers between ourselves and Christ and how many of us put up barriers between ourselves as believers due to cultural, physical and religious beliefs?

Lets tear down the barriers and give all the glory to Jesus. It is all about Him! He is the living waters! He is our saviour, He is God!

Forget about denominational differences, forget about where you live or what you look like, forget about how much money you have, forget about where you choose to worship, forget about what language you speak, forget about what happened to you in the past, tear down the barriers which exist between you and Christ, tear down the barriers between you and your fellow christian. Burn your idols and destroy the strongholds in your mind.

Jesus has overcome this world, His grace is enough!

Joh 4:14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

The most important part of this scripture in my eyes is John 21:23 and I live by it. Through Christ we receive the holy spirit, and came the end of external worship by the temple or mountian but the beggining of internal worship of God through his temple in the human body in spirit and truth.

Studying this further, The word says Jesus 'had' to go through Samaria. In other gospels Jesus told His disciples not to go into Samaria. The Samaritans where not very good people according to the Jews for numerous reasons especially their history of idol worship.

Why Jesus 'had' to go, was explained later in the same chapter. He went there to reap a harvest of people who would be saved. He had a specific purpose, His meeting with the women at the well was no accident!

Joh 4:35 Do you not say, It is yet four months, and the harvest comes? Behold, I say to you, Lift up your eyes and look on the fields, for they are white to harvest already.

How many of us also put up barriers between ourselves and Christ and how many of us put up barriers between ourselves as believers due to cultural, physical and religious beliefs?

Lets tear down the barriers and give all the glory to Jesus. It is all about Him! He is the living waters! He is our saviour, He is God!

Forget about denominational differences, forget about where you live or what you look like, forget about how much money you have, forget about where you choose to worship, forget about what language you speak, forget about what happened to you in the past, tear down the barriers which exist between you and Christ, tear down the barriers between you and your fellow christian. Burn your idols and destroy the strongholds in your mind.

Jesus has overcome this world, His grace is enough!

Click to expand...

Yes , we are here to glorify our Saviour. All other is minor. If Jesus is first in our lives then all else will not matter. If we love and obey Him, He will show us where to begin by destroying strongholds. Jesus broke all the barriers by showing us the example in that day as He showed the Samaritan woman and His disciples that none of this matters. It is only what we do for Him . We need to be salt and light in this world and love people where they are at , not who they are.

Just think of all the people this woman brought to the Lord when she went back to her village . Just by telling one person about Christ .... we never know the impact of that person.

"Salt is good. But if the salt loses its salty taste, then
you can't make it salty again. So, be full of goodness. And
have peace with each other."

-- Mark 9:50 (ERV)

Jesus wants us to be people of character -- people who are holy,
righteous, pure and redemptive in a world that is none of those things.
Jesus wants us to live in peace with each other in our local
congregations as well as with other believers even if we do not
recognize them as being in "our group." Two clear commands -- to be at
peace and to have a godly influence on those around us -- are made
without equivocation. Obedience to these two important commands is
needed so very much in the divided and worldly state in which believers
in Jesus now find themselves.